Somali MP says at least 23 killed in Baidoa fighting

A Somali parliamentarian said at least 23 people had been killed in fighting in Baidoa on Monday, German news agency dpa reported in a dispatch carried by Nieuws.nl. The clashes between the Somali army and militias linked to a former regional president lasted more than five hours, the report said. [1]

Fighting broke out on the morning of 28 September in and around the south-western Somali city. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said medical teams at Bay Regional Hospital received 69 people affected by the violence, including five children, and recorded three deaths. Roads to hospitals had been blocked since the fighting began, severely restricting access to treatment, MSF said. [2]

Somalia’s state news agency SONNA said the army had repelled an attack and retained full control of Baidoa. Forces loyal to former South West president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen claimed to have entered the city and taken parts of it, Garowe Online reported. Control of the contested areas remained disputed. [3][4]